Odetari

Odetari Artistfacts

  • January 1, 2000
  • Odetari (real name Taha Othman Ahmad) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and is of Palestinian descent.
  • Odetari started producing music at 13, heavily influenced by the SoundCloud rap scene. He began his music career in 2021 under the name VEXEN before adopting his current stage name, which fuses his family name, Odeh, with the name of video game developer Atari.
  • His music blends anime, video game influences, and electronic beats, creating a unique genre he calls "ODECORE." Odetari described his music to Kida Take Over as "final boss music" and cites chopped and screwed music and Travis Scott as inspirations.
  • Odetari worked at his father's valet parking service for three years. The job ended when his father laid him off during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • He was employed as a substitute teacher at a Houston high school in 2023 before his music career took off. Odetari was fired after students were caught using dab pens in class under his supervision.
  • His music gained popularity on TikTok in 2023 through videos featuring audio deepfakes of video game characters, leading to several #1s on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Songwriters chart.

    "I used to sit in class and the students would do TikTok dances to songs that were trending," Ahmad told Billboard. "Now occasionally I see kids at that same school dancing to my songs. It's pretty fire."
  • He released his debut EP, XIII Sorrows, on September 13, 2023.
  • Odetari's hobbies are centered around video games, with favorites like Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy serving as inspiration for his music.
  • Odetari's favorite food is shawarma, a popular Middle Eastern dish consisting of seasoned and marinated meat that is stacked on a vertical spit and slow roasted.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.

Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket

Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet SprocketSongwriter Interviews

The "All I Want" singer went through a long depression, playing some shows when he didn't want to be alive.

Have Mercy! It's Wolfman Jack

Have Mercy! It's Wolfman JackSong Writing

The story of the legendary lupine DJ through the songs he inspired.

Todd Rundgren

Todd RundgrenSongwriter Interviews

Todd Rundgren explains why he avoids "Hello It's Me," and what it was like producing Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album.

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright IIISongwriter Interviews

"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.

Donny Osmond

Donny OsmondSongwriter Interviews

Donny Osmond talks about his biggest hits, his Vegas show, and the fan who taught him to take "Puppy Love" seriously.